User blog:Guildmaster Grovyle/Character chart: Threat Levels
I once developed a system of Threat Levels to designate the danger and/or destructive potential posed by a set of characters. However, this system was originally intended for a low-magic setting, and Pokémon are inherently magical creatures—we all know there's some kind of hoodoo going on when someone turns their fist into ice. Therefore, I must redefine it if I am to apply it here. Origin I based the Threat Level system on DC HeroClix from the early 2000s. Generally speaking, each HeroClix miniature came in three varieties. Those with yellow rings on their bases were called rookies, and they were the weakest and most common version of that character. The next step up was the blue-ringed experienced version. Then came the red-ringed veteran, which was the strongest and rarest. A veteran Superman blows a rookie Superman out of the water. However, there were also rare miniatures with silver-ringed bases (gold or purple in some limited-editions). These were called unique, for they had no counterparts among the other grades. They were significantly rarer than veterans and often even stronger. The first one I knew was Superman's archvillain Parasite, and there was no gradation involving him—there was only the definitive silver-ringed Parasite, completely removed from the standard tiers. This is the foundation for my system. I adapted the common ranks of rookie, experienced, and veteran. However, I also partitioned the unique grade into three other tiers, since they were also very diverse and often distinguished only by the arbitrary decision to make three versions of one character (e.g. REV Batman) but not another (e.g. Unique Commissioner Gordon). Therefore, my system consists of three Common Levels surmounted by three Unique Levels with a significant leap in between. In order, the Unique Levels are titled prime, epic, and ultimate. In addition, I defined two other levels other than these six. One of these was the noncombatant grade for stubborn pacifists and other completely nonthreatening characters. The other of these was the weakling grade for the rare characters who are objectively pushovers or else liabilities to their own team due to their recurring pratfalls. These technically fall below the rookie level, but they relate more to the integrity or karmic ineffectuality of the character than the power he/she actually possesses. I will not be including the weakling grade this time around because no one seems to be on board with dynamic Magikarp personalities. I wonder why. Therefore, the classification scheme is as follows: I will formally define each Threat Level below as I list its membership. Noncombatant characters are usually civilians or settled persons with little or no experience in battle. They pose a minimal and negligible threat, either out of pure gentleness or a shrewd instinct to avoid the fighting, regardless of how much power they actually possess. comprise the lowest Threat Level because they do not truly pose a threat, but they may still cause damage if they find themselves cornered. The following are characters. *Clarice *Freya *Ali Boogah *Donahue & Shel *Doc Blind *Lord Tuppens & Lord Goldbury *Br. Tomas & Br. Armando *Shahryar & Shahrazade *Bethany & Tobith Rookie comprise the most basic Threat Level. They are capable of holding their own against other competent characters, though they seldom last long when separated from the pack. can fight and think on their own, but they prefer not to. They can expect to lose a direct fight with a or anyone in the unique tier. They may resort to tricks or threats, but seldom have the power to make good on them. The following are characters. *Loupa *Lemba *Aphrodite *Lamia *The Dracoracle *Lumaccord *Missy *Mayor Flash & Maurice *Gale *Chef Baffuromori & Mamenchi *Bib Mustafa, Salanditz Crumb, Larri, & Qhreedo *Jack Fum *Xanadu *Kasumi *Hylas, Zeena, & Acantha *Borgeaux *Renfield *Persephone, Proserpina, & Persa *Nike Ottomori *Allegretto & Beata Leone *Vanessa Experienced characters are of middling strength. One may regard them as the median Threat Level. They can fight other characters skillfully, but they have few remarkable qualities. When they are presented with an adequate opening, they are capable of striking fatal blows, but they seldom vanquish and other greater characters without some special advantage. The following are characters. *Gloria Leone *Soir *Ivan Walruski *Linda *Vestria *Lulu *Agneta *Doctor Achromium *Urien *Lucius *Yacatli *Dove *Arsinelle *Ceasar *Lyra *Malla *Sol *Ordealis *Carolina *Rayna *Octavia & the Defilers *Skurkis, Falknis, Campbell, & Quinn *Roarra Singh, Shmossk, & Dengar *Captain Kismot & his crew *Sinbad the Sailor *Ferrous & Rhaegal *Erlang Shen *Jed *Yagyu Ottomori Veteran The grade is the most dangerous of the common levels. Its members are extremely proficient combatants that often exemplify peak physical fitness or an unusually sharp mind. Most are capable of besting large groups of weaker characters on their own. However, their phenomenal strength and cunning are entirely mundane. What power they have is theirs out of practice and learning experience. The following are characters. *Ashlynn *Piper *Galatea *Royce *Justice *Cinder *Mandra *Aria *Campion *Ilandur & Sarnil *Decus *Marcella *Br. Mark *Maro Feht *Kaiser *Old Hang'em *Khan *Basura *'Abwfays *Marjanah *Klukquong Duguvut, Vissarion Walruski, & Sonata Leone *Madame Genevieve *The Baron & his guild Prime comprise the lowest unique level of characters. They stand a notch above the because they are universally capable of inflicting severe damage on enemy forces without the aid of other units and through methods other than direct martial force. These characters often display some level of invulnerability or heightened awareness in combat, for they can often rush into battle and emerge completely unscathed. A character is special because it combines natural talent with supernatural finesse. The following are characters. *Bellatrix *Tower *Nimrud *Count Dracuvoir *Tarō Ottomori (w/ trident) *Gwendolen *Ikelos *Susana *Sygnus *Eridanar *Odysseus *Cocyton, Acheron, & Phlegethon *Milly *Al-Hujjat Epic characters stand on a lofty ground between the first unique level and the highest level of all. They are notable for their capacity to defeat and even with minimal difficulty. units are essentially armies of one, and they dispatch their oft-numerous foes with startling ease, including but not limited to actual armies. Although they cannot bend the universe itself to their will, have no difficulty bullying its inhabitants into line. The following are characters. *Tiamat *Archos *Thanatos *Bahamut *Shadowbrie Ultimate are paragons of creation—beings of such great might that no mortal can hope to defeat them in a fair fight. Even the masterful stand little chance against these all-powerful characters. often display omnipotence or omniscience in some form. They are capable of altering reality on a whim, accessing higher dimensions, erasing entire planets, creating new Pokémon out of thin air, or demonstrating other feats that boggle the minds of lesser creatures. They are the supreme Threat Level because any greater power lies only in the hands of the writer himself. The following are characters. *Sage *Aether *Morrigan *Mana *Horuc the Undying *Dragon Emperor Category:Blog posts